Goodbyes are always the hardness, especially on Ukraine's Independence Day. Our last morning in Ukraine was a difficult one as we had just finished our VBS camp the day before. We had wished to spend more time with the kids after, doing more visitations, but our schedule meant we had to come home this weekend.

Hanne had left the centre at 2 am in the morning for her flight from Budapest to Norway, and we found out she had just crossed the border at 8 am. That meant she had waited at the border for 5-6 hours, and we may also be expecting a long wait time at the border as well. At 10 am, we left the HOM, and we decided to try another border crossing via Slovakia, but we were also met by a long line toward the border. It took us around 4-5 hrs before we got through and another 3-4 hrs of driving before we stopped for dinner at a Hungarian buffet by the highway. When we arrived at our hotel in Budapest, it was around 8 pm. We were all very thankful for Valera's driving!

Many people waiting in line at the border…

The next morning we drove through the city and got a quick peek at the famous river and the castle as we headed to the airport. We were praying our flight itinerary would be 'confirmed' this time. It was. However, our flight from Budapest to Toronto was delayed, and we realized we will have 15-30 minutes gap in making it to our next flight to Calgary. Surely enough, as we landed in Toronto, we notice we had been put on a later flight. We were a little disappointed as we were all pretty tired and groggy. As it turns out, this new flight to Calgary was another blessing in disguise. Our original Calgary flight was also delayed, and that flight landed 45 minutes after us. We got home earlier! It is funny how God bookended our trip by re-arranging our travel again; continually teaching us to trust in His unexpected planning. It is a constant reminder for us that it is Him to walk before us and lead us forward, not the other way around. It is not our plans, but His, and that is how missions should be done no matter where we go. See you next year!